Creative Ways to Cook with Sichuan peppercorns – Recipes You Haven’t Tried
Shake up your routine with these unexpected yet delicious Sichuan peppercorns recipes — fun, easy, and full of flavour.
Recipes with Sichuan peppercorns
A small bowl of pork trotter with ginger warms the body and dispels wind, especially during autumn and winter—after all, putting on weight in autumn helps protect against the cold in winter! This delicious pork trotter with ginger is quite delicate to prepare. If preparing for someone confinement, start soaking the ginger two weeks in advance, bringing it to a boil daily and then turning it off. Soak for at least a week to fully unleash the ginger's aroma. My week-long pot of pork trotter with ginger is simply enticing: the trotter is a translucent brown, tender yet slightly chewy, and the flavor grows with every bite. The egg has a deep brown outer shell, but when cut open, the yolk is a firm orange-yellow, and even the core is imbued with the flavor of ginger vinegar. The ginger is crumb-free and not as spicy as those sold outside; it's refreshing and refreshing. The broth is just right—not sour, bitter, sweet, or thick—and even more flavorful than a carefully prepared broth. While Guangdong street vendors sell pig's trotters with plenty of ginger, a small piece of ginger, an egg, and a pig's trotter costs at least 20 yuan, and the flavor isn't quite there. It's nothing like home-cooked pork trotters, which are both affordable and flavorful, with every bite filled with heartfelt warmth. Speaking of which, in the month after my "divine beast" was born, we used a total of 150 pig's trotters! I just wanted to nourish my family, but the aroma filled the hallway. As if they had "smell radar," the neighbors would come to my house every day to "freeload" and take their meals away, treating me like a "makeshift pig's trotter delivery station." Everyone said my pig's trotters were so delicious they almost wanted to take the pot home with them!
Watercress and Kidney Soup is a classic Cantonese soup. The salty aroma of the kidney stimulates the appetite and aids digestion, while also adding a richer flavor to the base. The combination of sweet and apricot kernels moistens the lungs and relieves coughs, without leaving a dry taste. The watercress, with its inherent sweetness, softens and dissolves in the broth, clearing heat, moistening the lungs, and promoting urination. This soup is refreshing and soothing, relieving both greasiness and dryness. No wonder Cantonese people love it!
I always steamed sea bass after buying it before. Today, I made a tender tofu and sea bass stew that was even more flavorful and delicious than steamed. The whole family raved about how fresh, fragrant, and tender it was. This tender tofu and sea bass stew features sea bass and tofu as the main ingredients: the fish pieces are marinated in soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, pepper, scallions, and ginger until fragrant and flavorful, then simmered in a clay pot with pan-fried tofu until slightly golden brown. Onions, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns (with a touch of spicy chili peppers) bring out a rich and savory aroma. The texture is tender and smooth, and the broth is perfect with rice—a hot and satisfying meal for the whole family.
This Sichuan-Chongqing konjac beer duck is perfect for those on a weight-conscious diet! The konjac's chewy texture is smooth and chewy, absorbing the fresh aroma of both the duck and beer. While it doesn't have much of a flavor of its own, it perfectly locks in the meat's flavor. The duck is stewed to a crispy tenderness, and the beer not only removes the fishy smell but also adds a refreshing sweetness from the malt. The salty and savory flavors, combined with the spicy Sichuan peppercorns, make the dish even more delicious with every chew. The key is that the konjac is incredibly filling; just a few bites will fill your stomach. Paired with rice soaked in the sauce, it's a satisfying snack without the worry of gaining weight. For those of you who are trying to control your weight but crave this dish, you'll love its tangy aroma and satisfying feeling. Every bite is a win-win for both deliciousness and weight management!
Sichuan and Chongqing's salty shaobai (rice shao) is a melt-in-your-mouth pork belly. The fatty, glutinous pork belly is not greasy at all, while the lean pork belly is perfectly flavorful. The chopped bean sprouts are salty and fragrant, with a crisp and flavorful chew. Mixed with the pork belly, the combination of salty and sweet flavors is so fragrant it's almost intoxicating! In Sichuan and Chongqing, this dish is a common dish at banquets and restaurants. I, a meat-averse person, saw this shaobai (rice shao) at my grandmother's house and tried a piece. My eyes widened, and I devoured the entire plate! Since then, I've become a true meat-eater. Every time I go back to my grandmother's house, the first thing I shout is, "I want shaobai!"
Flavor characteristics: This is a quick-pickled vegetable (pickled pepper radish), with a short pickling time (usually a few hours to a day before eating). It has a sour, spicy, and crunchy taste, with the numbing aroma of Sichuan peppercorns. It is refreshing and appetizing, and can also be eaten as a snack.
：After being blanched and rinsed with cold water, the long beans retain their crisp and tender texture, and they make a crisp sound when chewed, giving people a refreshing feeling.
Homemade soup dumplings are so delicious! This pot of freshly steamed "juicy little bombs" are all soft and fluffy little clouds. Made with a semi-fermented dough recipe, the dough has a glossy sheen and stays soft and fluffy even after cooling down and reheating. Pick one up and gently bite into it, and the meat juice bursts in your mouth, coating the chewy, simple Northeastern-style aspic—it's so fresh it'll make your eyes squint! This is a versatile, basic filling, savory and flavorful with a hint of carrot sweetness; one bite is pure bliss. Breaking it open reveals glistening juice coating the tender pink meat filling—it's mouthwatering just to look at. From the aspic to the semi-fermented dough to the versatile meat filling, all the techniques are in this recipe. Save it and recreate this bursting joy anytime!
In Guangdong, this bowl of salted pork bone, dried vegetable, and peanut porridge is a lifesaver for those experiencing internal heat! It's my go-to when my throat gets dry and my mouth blisters. The pork bones are pre-marinated with salt and spices, resulting in a savory and flavorful porridge. The meat between the bones is rich in salt and flavor, making it incredibly satisfying to chew. The dried vegetables, a unique Guangdong specialty, absorb the essence of the porridge, leaving them soft, chewy, and with a unique vegetable aroma. The peanuts are stewed until soft and soft, melting in your mouth. The porridge is thick, and every spoonful is packed with the umami flavor of the ingredients, a salty, savory, and sweet lingering taste that moistens your tongue and throat. Having a bowl of this when you're experiencing internal heat is like installing a dual "fire-extinguishing and nourishing" system on your body. Heat quickly dissipates, leaving you feeling moisturized from the inside out and feeling incredibly comfortable! This "fire-reducing" porridge is a must-have at home! My little beast sipped three bowls straight.
Sichuan cured pork belly—that's a longing etched into the DNA of every Sichuanese. In previous years, we'd eat cured pork belly made from pigs raised by our neighbors back home. Those pigs were raised for over a year, so they were incredibly fatty; the fat slices alone were as wide as a hand, making it quite a hefty meal. This year, I decided to make it myself—a down-to-earth, family-style version. I specifically chose leaner cuts of pork, finally achieving "cured pork belly freedom"! Look at this! The layers of fat are distinct, golden and translucent, glistening with oil—it makes my mouth water just looking at it. Unlike the dark, charred kind from smoking back home, this is clean and easy to wash. A close sniff reveals a subtle cypress aroma mixed with the numbing fragrance of Sichuan peppercorns. Steaming it releases a rich, smoky flavor that fills the room. The fatty parts are tender and not greasy, while the lean parts are firm and chewy—every bite is the taste of home.